David

David was originally the leader of the Tribe of Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, became the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel. His reign is sometimes placed around the 9th century BC, but both the timeframe and the geographical extent of his kingdom are matters of dispute. Almost everything known about David comes from biblical texts, whose historical accuracy has been heavily questioned, leaving very few concrete and uncontested details. Ongoing debates include whether the story politically defends David’s dynasty against charges of tyranny, murder, and regicide; the nature of the homoerotic relationship between David and Jonathan; whether the narrative resembles a Homeric heroic tale drawing on Ancient Near Eastern parallels; and whether some parts of the text date as late as the Hasmonean period.

In the biblical account in the Books of Samuel, David is a young shepherd and harpist devoted to Yahweh. He becomes famous by killing the Philistine giant Goliath. He gains favor with King Saul, but later flees into hiding when Saul suspects him of plotting to seize the throne. After Saul and his son Jonathan die in battle, David is anointed king by the tribe of Judah and eventually by all the tribes of Israel.

He captures Jerusalem, makes it the capital of a united Israel, and brings the Ark of the Covenant there. He commits adultery with Bathsheba and arranges the death of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. His son Absalom later attempts to overthrow him, but after Absalom’s death, David returns to Jerusalem and continues his reign. He wishes to build a temple for Yahweh but is refused because of the bloodshed during his rule.

He dies at age 70 and chooses Solomon, his son with Bathsheba, as his successor over his eldest surviving son, Adonijah. David is honored as an ideal king and the forefather of the future Hebrew Messiah in Jewish prophetic literature, and many psalms are attributed to him.

David also appears extensively in post-biblical Jewish written and oral tradition and is referenced in the New Testament. Early Christians interpreted Jesus’ life in light of references to the Hebrew Messiah and to David; both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke describe Jesus as directly descended from David. In the Quran and hadith, David is depicted as an Israelite king and a prophet of Allah.